Posted by Joe S. on March 19, 2001 at 23:32:43:
In Reply to: Chronic Slide-Pull-emia! posted by Jason on March 19, 2001 at 20:57:59:
I believe with all of the available tubas these days, and how "awesome" many of them sound, Jason's comments are the unspoken comments of most of us:
The intonation on (probably the vast majority of) our tubas (as quoted a couple of weeks ago) "STINKS". Further, well-made steel drums play better in tune than MOST professional tubas (without slide/lipping acrobatics).
Jason, I empathize and sympathize. I think that is why (fortunately, usually at positive or at least "break even" prices) I have bought (or "fab-ed up") and later sold on average a CC tuba every 18 months or so since I was about 18 years old (now 44).
Currently, I have two on the drawing board (in progress) that seem more promising than any I've owned in the past (and I've never owned any so-called "econo" CC tubas). I've an F tuba that just seems to play great without any of that "slide pulling hell" that all of us wish we could do without, and I will NEVER sell that tuba. For obvious reasons, I have gotten remarkably good at "making" the F tuba "do" when most would use a CC.
I'm not ignoring your issues, but I am commenting on my own quest on precisely the same issues. I wish you the very best of luck, and you do the same for me. :^)